I mentioned in another post that I am an avid babywearer, so I thought I'd share some photos with you all of my babywearing exploits. I used to make and sell slings (still do upon special request) and I have used almost every style known to man (and woman). I used to give demonstrations on the different styles and how to use them (using my own babies as guinea pics, LOL!)

Anyway, without further ado..... something to distract you from choppin'

Me walking in the ocean in Maine while 20 weeks preggers with my third child, my second nearly asleep on my back in an Asian Mei Tai carrier that I made...


My daughter, then a 2 year old, riding in a Japanese onbuhimo that I made for an "alternative" type mommy friend. She really LOVED the tribal dragons on this:


My second daughter asleep in a pouch at around 6 months of age:



My second daughter, again, in a Korean podaegi that I made out of a hand-batiked sarong:


This is a furry mei tai style sling that I made for my younger sister, we called it the cookie monster carrier...


One I am very proud of, a brocade Korean podaegi that went to Cindy Margolis along with a matching Mei Tai when she was expecting twins via surrogate. It was auctioned off after she was through using it with proceeds benefiting charity.


And last, my sister wearing my niece in a mei tai sling that I made for her (and a diaper bag to match, she looked so ooh la la and chic mama when she went out)

So... wearing babies is a fashion now? whats next? wearing animals?

Wearing your baby is old as the world!


Sometimes 2: http://www.sobebabies.com/beco-baby-carrier/beco-baby-carrier-wearing-two.jpg
They can't walk, you know!

Animals can walk, they are just lazy:


...and it is safe, warm en loving!

Its real beautiful Deliandave and cute kids! Thanks for showing the pictures.
http://ellaroo.com/

My wife and I tried one of these with the last kid. It was in the traditional puke-pee-poo pattern. I thought it was like walking around with a parachute pack strapped on, but I used it anyway for a few days. My wife loved it--for about a week. When the pee, or the puke, or the poo started spraying, we found ourselves fumbling for the ripcord to open it up. We decided it was easier just to lug the kid without the thing. Clean up was much easier.

Of course, the last one was a puker that made Linda Blair look like a piker. Oddly enough, she puked like Old Faithful just last night--after she crawled into our bed. While I was rinsing the bed clothes in the laundry tub (never put the chunks into the washing machine, kids), I stubbed my toe on something down by the drain pipe. In the shadows under the tub was an object that looked for all the world like the old parachute pack--encrusted with something that had been petrifying for the last nine years. For a moment I suffered a wave of nostalgic revulsion. Upon closer inspection, though, it turned out to be somebody's loaded bowling bag.

Slings are a fine conveyance for some offspring. The sling has carried many a papoose into manhood and chieftainship. Kings, presidents, and revolutionaries have been toted around in these rucksacks. But they are not for everyone. If you've got a baby like our little Beelzebub who can make her head turn 360 degrees and pin the family macaw to one side of its cage with a steady stream of green regurgitant, you might want to consider a vinyl buggy.

Fwiw.

i like the blue fuzzy one.....not for me.. ...but,...it looks like cookie moster just ate your kid.

The greatest athletic feat of my life occurred after I unsnapped the shoulder snaps of BOTH sides of the front-side carrier that I was trying out for the first time, which also just happened to contain my beautiful daughter, who, at the time, was SCREAMING directly into my face.

I dove.
I caught.
I curled up into a ball.
And the baby carrier went back to the store.

My arms got more toned, though.

Well, as Tesore said, it is an ancient art, and it has been around for centuries.

Science has shown that carrying your baby with colic can soothe them, so why toture your arms, pacing in a sling is so much easier!

I can attest to not pushing a buggy through clothing racks at the mall, too.

I've done dishes with my three week old on my back because she just wanted to be carried so bad, and didn't want to let me away for anything, even house work.

I would carry my youngest in a sling, and push my middle in a cart, and hold the hand of the oldest when they were 3,2, and less than 1.

I was able to nurse in public, often while walking around, and no one even knew what I was up to. In fact, my husband's football team came over to check out the "sleeping" new baby after a game one time, and never knew she was nursing while she was in the sling.

So, I wholeheartedly recommend them, and still use them on occassion, though my youngest is now over 2, so not as often as we used to. The new babe will be here in August and I'll be back at it again more often (daily) then.

Oh, and I have to admit, I haven't been barfed on in a sling, but I can attest to suddenly having your back get all warm and wet when a diaper leaks... Not fun!

However, what parent hasn't been peed on or puked on?

Slings are washable, eh?

Thanks for looking everyone, and letting me share a bit of a passion of mine!

More info is available at http://www.thebabywearer.com if you are interested in babywearing in general or the different types of slings in the world.

I would love one of these Amuti (the inuit lady is wearing it...) However, they are made by the Inuit people and are very expensive, upwards of $500 per coat. I can not justify that cost, but always wanted to try one.... One of the few types of carriers I haven't used.

Thanks for the diversion, and the memories. I remember my sling years fondly. The puking, the peeing, the head butting, the acrobatic fumblings of a first time father in the men's room trying to diaper my daughter and re-mount my precious cargo back into the sling securely. Awe, that was so much fun. (..not so much fun as Tawiskaro and wife are having though.. you have my sympathies)

We had a very expensive pram, but it never got used. Total waste of money, because the sling was THE thing!

Today we have a new member in the family, a niece of sorts, and the mother has adopted the sling 100% via my wife's coaching. I loved the photos, and what you do, and thanks for that link!

The only time there was something not right with my babycarrier was the first time I tried it on, I could not close it at the back. But then I realised I could put it on, close it in front and then turn it round, then pick up the baby and put it in. Never used a pram, and I carried both my children and shoppingbag at times. Specially in busy streets the baby carrier is a Godsent. The only time I did not take my baby with me, was when I went shopping for my only clothes one day, all other days we all went everywhere. And yes, even breastfeeding would have been possible.

I don't recall any problems with the "output" of babies during those days. Maybe breastfed babies don't puke or have ....??? And I know they never cried when they were in the babycarrier, my daughter was always crying at night, I know that, but never when I was walking around with her. Best of times.... Would not want to have missed it for anything, those three years of my life.

Those are very cool and I bet more comfortable for the baby than those store bought carriers. I had one of the store bought ones and I had such a hard time with it. My daughters legs would get stuck in it and I would need help putting her into it.

Absolutely, 100% easier to use and more comfortable than conventional carriers, though the more traditional styles are making their way into stores.

For example, at Babies R Us, just the other day, I saw an Ultimate Baby Wrap. Trust me, if you ever have a baby and want a comfortable carrier, this wrap style is the BEST and most versatile, as well as most comfortable, and it is so refreshing to see them in a mainstream store.

I've been contacted by UK School of Babywearing... They liked my coloring book, and I'll be making some freebie downloadable coloring sheets for them, and exploring other possibilities.

Oh, and my website domain is purchased and active, now.

www.deliamhubbard.com

5150's portrait and a few other PSC works of art are featured in my portfolio.

did you just poop mommy?

=)